Germany must repatriate from Syria IS fighter’s wife and children- court

BERLIN (Reuters) – A Berlin court has ruled that the Foreign Ministry should repatriate from Syria the German wife and three children of a suspected Islamic State fighter, a spokesman said on Thursday, adding that it was the first such ruling against the government.

The family had sued the Foreign Ministry after its diplomats declined a request to help the mother return to Germany with her three children from a Kurdish-controlled area in northern Syria, the court spokesman said. Germany had wanted to repatriate the children but not the mother.

The court said the Foreign Ministry should first verify the identity of the mother and her children before proceeding with their repatriation.